Dodgers rally past Angels in the ninth

Angels catcher Jeff Mathis reacts to home plate umpire Tom Hallion's call that Dodgers pinch runner Dee Gordon, right, was safe on a flyout by Aaron Miles that tied Sunday's game 2-2 in the bottom of the ninth.

LOS ANGELES - There are complete games, and then there's the
afternoon Clayton Kershaw had Sunday, which was complete in every
sense of the sporting word.

Pitching, hitting, fielding -- Kershaw contributed all of it as
the Dodgers salvaged the final game of their series with the
Angels, rallying in the bottom of the ninth for a 3-2 win. Tony
Gwynn Jr.'s two-out single scored pinch-runner Trent Oeltjen with
the winning run.

In outdueling Angels starter Jered Weaver, who went seven
innings, Kershaw went the distance for the second straight start.
He upped his career complete-game total to four while striking out
11, walking none and allowing six hits.

"That's your goal every time out, to finish every game," Kershaw
said after winning his 100th career start to improve to 8-3 this
season and 34-26 in his four major league seasons. "It's definitely
something I take pride in."

Kershaw threw 114 pitches and might only regret No. 112, which
Vernon Wells ripped for his second home run in two days, giving the
Angels a 2-1 lead with two outs in the top of the ninth inning.

Kershaw "tried to get a slider down and in, and just didn't get
it there," said Manager Don Mattingly. "That kind of takes a little
wind out of your sails."

But Angels closer Jordan Walden opened the bottom of the ninth
by walking Juan Uribe -- replaced by pinch runner Dee Gordon, who
stole second -- and Dioner Navarro.

After a sacrifice bunt by Jamey Carroll moved the runners to
second and third, Aaron Miles lofted a fly to center. Peter Bourjos
made a perfect throw to the plate, which appeared to reach catcher
Jeff Mathis ahead of a sliding Gordon, but umpire Tom Hallion ruled
Gordon was safe.Replays were inconclusive, but suggested Gordon
might have reached around Mathis before being tagged.

"It wasn't real deep," Miles said of his fly ball, "but I
thought it was plenty enough. But Bourjos made a great throw. Guy
blocked the plate good, and he got in there somehow."

That brought up Gwynn, who singled to right, easily scoring
pinch runner Trent Oeltjen with the winning run.

A disappointed Walden, who suffered his fifth blown save in 22
chances, said he didn't have command of his fastball.

"I can't come in walking two guys on the get-go," he said.

While Walden was downcast, the emotions of Kershaw -- having
gone from well-pitched loss to second consecutive win -- traveled
in the other direction.

"You go from the bottom to the top real fast," he said. "That's
the awesome thing about this game. Things can change real
fast."

Kershaw also had a two-out single in the seventh, scoring on a
triple by Gwynn, and turned a popped bunt by Weaver into a key
double play in the sixth, catching Mathis off second after the
Angels catcher doubled to open the inning.

Kershaw's all-around contributions were no surprise to
Mattingly.

"He's been great defensively all year long," Mattingly said. "I
think it's a testament to Clayton that he understands all aspects
of the game are important to him."

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